Filmmaker Kiran Rao said the Academy Awards may view Indian cinema through a Western perspective rather than harbor deliberate prejudice against the country's film industry. She spoke with a news agency after her film Laapataa Ladies won 13 Filmfare Awards. Rao said voters often assess foreign films by standards that may not align with Indian storytelling traditions, and she suggested this creates challenges for recognition.
The director expressed optimism about Homebound as India's 2025 Oscar submission, but she noted that Indian filmmakers tend to create work for domestic audiences rather than for Academy consideration. Rao said India produces diverse cinema, and she believes the nation will eventually earn recognition in the Best International Feature Film category. She cited an unexpected award from a Japanese academy as evidence that foreign audiences can appreciate Indian films when there are natural connections between the work and viewers.
The director expressed optimism about Homebound as India's 2025 Oscar submission, but she noted that Indian filmmakers tend to create work for domestic audiences rather than for Academy consideration. Rao said India produces diverse cinema, and she believes the nation will eventually earn recognition in the Best International Feature Film category. She cited an unexpected award from a Japanese academy as evidence that foreign audiences can appreciate Indian films when there are natural connections between the work and viewers.
